More than 483,000 New Jersey residents eligible to receive Assurance
Wireless

August 16, 2010

WARREN, N.J. (BUSINESS WIRE), August 16, 2010 -
Today, Assurance
Wireless, a cell phone service from Virgin Mobile that provides a
free wireless phone and 200 free minutes of wireless voice service
monthly to eligible customers, launches in New Jersey.

More than 438,000 New Jersey residents are currently without a job and
more than 13 percent are living below the federal poverty line.
Assurance Wireless gives eligible customers the ability to provide a
contact number and return calls to a prospective employer, which,
studies show, can improve the chances of securing employment as well as
provide a simple way to stay connected to family in case of emergencies.

“With unemployment in New Jersey currently so high, people need to be
connected if for no other reason than to be able to apply for and obtain
a new job,” said Grace Boehm, director for Assurance Wireless. “Studies
have shown that nearly a third of those working say their cell phone has
helped them make money, get new work or new customers.”

According to a recent nationwide survey from Assurance Wireless*, adults
with an income of less than $25,000 are as likely to use their mobile
phone for employment searches as those with higher incomes.

“Programs like Assurance are so important for helping individuals and
families stay on, or get back on, their feet and succeed in these
difficult financial times,” explains business columnist and personal
finance expert Louis Barajas.

“I am very happy to have a phone from Assurance Wireless. I mostly use
it in case of emergencies and to stay in contact with my family. This is
a good program in today’s economy,” stated Lydia A., a 54-year-old
Assurance Wireless customer from New York.

Customers eligible for Assurance Wireless include those who participate
in Medicaid, Food Stamps/SNAP, Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA/TANF),
Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Bureau of Indian Affairs Programs
(BIA), Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8), Low Income Home
Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), or National School Lunch Program’s
Free Lunch Program. Customers may also qualify based on low household
income.

2 When purchasing additional minutes or features,
standard taxes and surcharges will apply.

About Assurance Wireless

Assurance Wireless, one of
Sprint’s prepaid brands, is supported by the Lifeline Assistance
program, part of the Low Income Program of the federal Universal Service
Fund (USF), which is administered by the Universal Service
Administrative Company (USAC), and designed to ensure that quality
telecommunications services are available to low-income customers at
reasonable and affordable rates. Assurance Wireless uses the Nationwide
Sprint Network which reaches more than 275 million people.

To learn more about Assurance Wireless, including eligibility
requirements, please call 800-395-2171 or visit www.assurancewireless.com.
Information is available in English and Spanish.

Note:sources for all information and statistics are available
upon request

*PKS Research Partners was commissioned by Sprint/Nextel (Assurance
Wireless) to conduct a research project among a nationally
representative sample of U.S. adults 25 years or older in order to
determine their attitudes towards and usage of mobile phones.

This area is reserved for members of the news media. If you qualify, please update your user profile and check the box marked "Check here to register as an accredited member of the news media". Please include any notes in the "Supporting information for media credentials" box. We will notify you of your status via e-mail in one business day.